J. John Lennon

JFK and dark tourism: A fascination with assassination

Abstract This paper sets out to explore the phenomenon that the authors have entitled Dark Tourism and to analyse evidence of its existence in the context of sites associated with the life and death of the former US President, John F. Kennedy (JFK). These sites present front‐line staff, curators, and development bodies with dilemmas concerning legitimacy of presentation/representation and lead to questions about the, often cited, educational mission, of such attractions. The media has had a central role in the development of this phenomenon and documentation and illustration via news and film has been central to much of the interpretation of JFK and the Kennedys. This paper considers media fascination with this subject and examines exploitation of this interest at three, contrasting sites.

Interpretation of the Unimaginable: The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum, Washington, D.C., and “Dark Tourism”

The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C., has received visitation levels in excess of 2 million per annum since its opening in April 1993. Such a development was not without controversy. The museum’s permanent exhibition contains more than 5,000 artifacts, including photographs, uniforms, letters, and a rail car used to take Jewish prisoners and others to the death camps. Through the use of computer terminals, visitors are able to review records in newspapers, watch film clips, and hear taped interviews with Holocaust survivors. Such a concern with replication and simulation is central to the treatment and analysis of the phenomenon known as “dark tourism” (tourism of sites of death, atrocity, and mass killing). This article analyzes the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum in the context of dark tourism, concluding that the museum’s nature, content, and purpose pose questions about visitor motivation, “dark” attraction development, ethical management, and the interpretation of history.

Pathways to success

Originating from Glasgow Development Agency’s analysis of Dublin’s success in attracting tourism over the period 1986‐96, this paper considers the two cities ‐ Dublin and Glasgow ‐ and tries to determine the conditions, strategies in development and policies necessary to make the most of the economic impact of tourists. Policies and mechanisms in both cities are compared and discussed. Dublin’s key advantages appear to be history of literature and culture, a demographic profile which is largely young and its intangible fashionable image. In comparison Glasgow has not had the same learning experience or the structured assistance in order to create the base in the 1980s which would allow the kind of rapid development and success experienced by Dublin.

Foot-and-mouth disease: A scenario of reoccurrence for Scotland’s tourism industry

This paper considers how a future outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) would be treated and considers the potential reaction by government agencies with particular reference to communication and the management of crises within the tourism sectors. Lessons and experience are drawn from the outbreak of FMD in Scotland in 2001 and reoccurrences in other parts of the world. Two potential scenarios are considered, namely a ‘suspected case’ and a ‘confirmed case’, and the likely consequences of both for the tourism industry of Scotland and the UK are considered.

The dilemma of operating a strategic approach to human resource management in the Scottish visitor attraction sector

The majority of Scottish visitor attractions can also be defined as non‐profit making cultural heritage organisations to include historic buildings, museums and art galleries. Goals of achievement within this sector involve other, longer established priorities other than tourism. For example, internal quality benchmarks within the public sector are led by best value management to facilitate quality public services at lowest cost and combat exclusion. In the wider attraction field these techniques are also applied to achieve best practice and to target new audiences. This paper draws from two national visitor attraction surveys. It highlights the dilemma facing HRM and HRD experts when trying to formulate a HRS for such a diverse workforce to include a high level of seasonal workers and volunteers. The paper recommends that any HRS needs to be flexible enough to schedule this unique workforce towards achieving the distinctive objectives of each attraction’s organisational mission.

A Tale of Two Camps: Contrasting Approaches to Interpretation and Commemoration in the Sites at Terezin and Lety, Czech Republic

Concentration camps have left deep scars on the landscape of Europe. They are the physical testaments to the Nazi ideals of racial superiority, and their approach to annihilating the Jewish Race. Despite the negative connotations associated with the camps, several have become major tourist ‘attractions’. It is suggested that approximately six million visitors each year visit six of the major museums and former camps connected with the Holocaust. At many of the sites there is, however, little or no interpretation. In this respect, this paper discusses and contrasts the developed site at Terezin and the largely ignored site at Lety, both located in the Czech Republic. Terezins importance is related to its notorious history as a concentration camp which incarcerated Jews, following the Nazi occupation of the Czech lands. Terezin is, however, now a significant tourist and visitor attraction receiving more than 250,000 visitors per year. In contrast, the camp at Lety was intended for the internment of ‘anti-social’ Roma from Bohemia, and around 1,300 prisoners passed through it. Minimal interpretation exists at this site today. It is underdeveloped, shows limited investment and its site and buildings have been covered and replaced with a large agricultural plant. This paper will suggest that there are a number of reasons for the varying levels of development at these sites beyond the obvious difference related to whether or not the original buildings are extant.

Service quality in practice: customer service in Scotland's tourist information centres

Abstract This paper concerns the application of service quality training and assessment to the Tourist Information Centre network in Scotland. The Scottish Tourist Board have recognised at a strategic level that quality of service is of primary importance to Scotlands Tourism industry (STB, 1991). This paper examines the implementation of this strategic direction at an operational level. The practical application of quality service training and assessment via two pilot studies is discussed and considered. Finally the future objectives of the STB and the key integrative role of quality and its assessment are detailed.

Dark Tourism Visualisation: Some Reflections on the Role of Photography

This chapter considers the relationship between dark tourism, visualisation and the particular role of photography. It occupies a pivotal place within interpretation and pictorial record both as evidence of activity and visitation. The advent of smart phones and the integrated presence of high-resolution embedded cameras with significant storage has heightened the centrality of the visual record.

The role of information alignment and entrepreneurial traits on SME internationalization

Purpose - – The paper aims to explore the internationalisation decision-making of small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) owner/managers. Specifically, structural alignment theory (SAT) and regulatory focus theory (RFT) are utilised to examine the concept of opportunity recognition in the context of internationalisation choices. Design/methodology/approach - – This paper is conceptual in nature, and an integrative cognitive model of internationalisation choice decisions is developed based on SAT and RFT, underpinned by a critical review of the international entrepreneurship (IE) literature. Findings - – Scenarios are identified in which the structure of available information may affect the decision-evaluation process in terms of cognitive resource requirements. Further, the SME owner/manager’s motivational goal orientation is suggested to moderate the role of the information structure in line with IE literature. A conceptual model and propositions are presented. Research limitations/implications - – The conceptual model and the propositions arising from the discussion in this paper offer new directions of research to explore SME internationalisation. Originality/value - – This paper offers a cognitive perspective of SME internationalisation. This paper offers insights for policymakers, SME owner/managers, practitioners and researchers alike. For internationalisation decisions, this paper highlights the potential impact of the structure of information that is made available to SME owner/managers by industry or policy bodies; further, the moderating influence of motivational goal orientation may inform policy on how information should be presented to SME owner/managers to aid their decision-making.

Tragedy and Heritage: The Case of Cambodia

Abstract The growth in tourism to Cambodia creates many challenges in the context of a developing country. The landscape is rich in natural and built heritage and the outstanding temple complex of Angkor Wat is now complemented by a range of other activities and attractions throughout the country. Yet, this is a country that is still healing from a protracted period of war and an internal regime that perpetrated some of the most extreme policies ever seen in the world. The period of the Khmer Rouge (1975–79) saw evacuation of cities, extermination and starvation, closure of international borders. The commemoration and interpretation of this period is explored in the context of modern Cambodia. Heritage and documentation is under threat in a rapidly developing economy, where the past is at best not a development priority and at worst avoided. The difficulty of much of this material for the current political leadership of the country and the attempts by independent non-government organizations to maintain historical representation in the context of tourism attraction operation is discussed. The hypothesis is tested that such tourism sites have an important role in preserving the recent tragic past in a population that has both a ‘right to forget’ and is focused on a range of new economic priorities.